Take Back the Night
by jespah
Summary: On April 19, 2165, the Enterprise and the Columbia go to Daranaea.
1. Chapter 1

First contact with the Daranaeans brought guilt to the humans who made that contact, as they saw, first-hand, an oppressive hierarchical society. Now the Federation was having them make a second contact. Could it get any worse?

_Star Trek  
Enterprise_

_Take Back the Night_

A Star Trek Fan Fiction By  
J. R. Gershen-Siegel

**PG-13- Parents Strongly Cautioned**

Some material may be not be appropriate

for children under 13

_TrekUnited Publishing_

**This is a fan written work**

The copyrights & trademarks of Star Trek are owned by  
Paramount Pictures, CBS Corporation and their licensee, Pocket Books. Any attempt to sell or rent this book should be reported to the copyright owners for their action

Published for TrekUnited by  
L'Stok Press

1

_You say you want a revolution? – Lennon/McCartney_

"No."

"No?"

"I said _no_," said the female.

"You cannot," said the male.

"I said _no_!"

There was a hard blow, and a body fell.

=/\=

The children were all in the learning room. All, that is, except for Seppa, for she was a last caste female, and it is said that they don't believe in learning. But the eldest male child heard the sound, and ran over. He was chased by the adult secondary female. Even though she was pregnant, again – for the twelfth time – and pouch feeding another, she did her best to follow him. He was a teenager, about fifteen years of age, and readily outran her.

The other children followed. There was the second-eldest male, who was the secondary's first child. There was the eldest female, who was also the child of the secondary. Then the next four were the remainder of the Prime Wife's children. Then the next seven were more of the secondary's children. Then the next two were the lowest caste woman's children. Then followed a very young female, Minna, toddling along, another child of the secondary. The secondary's last child didn't have to run, of course, for she was firmly ensconced in her mother's – the secondary's – pouch.

Breathless, the eldest male smacked the door panel with a hand that had rust-colored fur on its back. The door slid open and the eldest male gasped. The lowest caste female lay on the floor, orange blood oozing from one temple on the side of her white-furred foxlike face. She was not moving.

The secondary caught up and hesitated before entering, but the children ran in before her. She felt compelled to collect them. "Arnis, a thousand apologies," she said, brindle-furred head bowed.

He looked up, a little nonplussed. "Clean this up," he commanded.

"Father," asked the eldest male child, "what if her fetus was a boy child?"

The question hung in the air for a moment. That could not just be carried out like the trash. "We will, we will get the authorities, I suppose. It was, you will see that it was justified. They are not permitted to refuse."

"Mistra," Arnis said, "you and Cria clean up in here. Everyone else must leave."

"Yes, Arnis," the secondary female said, and her eldest girl child helped her as they mopped up the blood and rested the dead woman – Inta – carefully on the floor.

"Oh, and Mistra?" Arnis said.

"Yes?" said the secondary female, looking up from her task briefly.

"You will stay in here tonight for relations, now that Inta is …."

"Yes, Arnis," Mistra went back to what she had been doing and her hand trembled a little. Cria held her hand a little to get her to stop.

Arnis left the room and the door closed. It was just Cria and Mistra. Cria said, "Mama is this how it is?"

"Yes. This is how it will be when you are sold to your husband as a secondary. But some are not so hot-tempered. I pray you end up with one of them."

=/\=

Doctor Rechal came quickly. "That is the lowest caste, Arnis," he sniffed as soon as he saw the body.

"Understood, and worthless for refusing relations. Still, my son Vidam is wondering if she was carrying a boy child."

"This will be a very different matter if she was carrying a boy child," Doctor Rechal said, "Where is Dratha?"

"My Prime Wife is out for the day."

"Very well. I will check right now. But if I find it was a boy child, well, you know the consequences," Rechal shook his grey spotted head.

He went outside to the garden and plucked a sprig of an herb from a boxy hedge and brought it back. He swabbed the inside of the dead woman's mouth with it, to catch what remained of her saliva. The leaves turned an ashy grey. He looked up at Arnis from the floor.

"What does this mean?" Arnis asked.

"Call Dratha and have her come home at once, for I must call the authorities. Inta was carrying a boy child, and I believe they will charge you with fetal murder."

=/\=

"I have to go!" Commander Reed exclaimed, but he was laughing when he said it and didn't really mean it.

The picture on the viewer was priceless. His son, Declan, was covered in pancake flour. The little fellow was only three and a half, and had taken it upon himself to somehow make breakfast. He had figured out how to get the flour and that he needed a wooden spatula. After that, he had apparently become somewhat lost in the recipe's details and had proceeded to rap the kitchen floor with the spatula while occasionally tossing small handfuls of flour on the floor in front of and behind him. The still photograph captured him in mid-rap and flour was flying in the air all around him.

"Now, Declan," Malcolm Reed said, as the viewer picture changed and it was the familiar scene of his son and the boy's mother, "you are very kind to be helping Mummy but I think you should leave the breakfasts to her, at least until you're four."

"Da-addy! Pancake!"

"Oh, that's a new word," Malcolm said, "I'm sorry I'm missing that."

"It's what we both figured would happen when we had him," said the boy's mother, "You'll be back soon, though, right? I've got lots and lots of artwork to give you. And I miss you like crazy."

"Yes, I will, my love," Malcolm said. There was a Communications chime. "Sorry, but now I really must leave. My best to everyone. I love you both."

"Bye-bye, Daddy!"

Malcolm answered the chime. "Yes?"

"Malcolm, I need you in the main conference room," said Captain Jonathan Archer, "there's a message coming in from Admiral Gardner."

"On my way, sir. Reed out."

The _USS Zefram Cochrane_'s entire Bridge crew was present. Malcolm – the First Officer and Armory/Tactical Man – took his place next to Captain Archer. They had worked together on the old _NX-01_ – the _Enterprise_ – but that ship had gone to a museum. It had been the first Warp Five vessel. But the _Cochrane_ – _DC-1500_ – was a Warp Six ship, in the brand spankin' new Defense class. It had a cloak and everything. Compared to the _Enterprise_, most of the rooms, even the brig, were like ballrooms.

The remainder of the Bridge crew was present – Communications Officer Lieutenant Commander Hoshi Sato, Pilot Lieutenant Travis Mayweather and Science Officer Ensign Lucy Stone.

Lucy was new, replacing the Vulcan T'Pol, who had gone back to her home world when the _NX-01_ was decommissioned. Rounding out the group were Chief Medical Officer Doctor Phlox and Chief Engineer Jennifer Crossman Ramirez. Jennifer had been promoted when Tripp Tucker had died and, truth be told, so had Malcolm. Jonathan had been planning on making him a Commander but it was Tripp who was supposed to be the First Officer on the _Cochrane_. But things had not turned out that way, and so Malcolm, who had recently returned from paternity leave, was made First Officer instead.

"On screen, please," Jonathan said to Hoshi. She fiddled with controls and Admiral Gardner's face appeared in a split screen with a similar conference room on the _DC-1502_, the _Excelsior_.

"I'm glad I've got everyone," Gardner said, "We have an interesting situation. The end of the Romulan War didn't just help us bring together the Coalition of Planets, which is now called the Federation, as you all know. In addition, it exposed other threats. With the relatively recent loss of the N'Vak Colony, the Klingons are looking to expand."

"I thought you said Romulans," Jonathan said, "are they working together now?"

"I think they're giving each other a wide berth," Gardner replied, "but they are definitely working in concert, even if it's informally. It's like they want to approach us and our allies from both sides and slowly contract the area around us."

"A pincer movement, much like Daniel Morgan used at the Battle of Cowpens in the American War of Independence?" Malcolm asked. His counterparts on the _DC-1502_, First Officer Hamilton Roget and Tactical Officer Stacey Young, nodded in agreement.

"Precisely," Gardner replied, "but things are a bit different now."

"I imagine they would be," Captain Erika Hernandez of the _DC-1502_ replied, "how so?"

"There's a system that's asking for our help. They're located near the Klingon-Romulan border. There's a planet called Khitomer nearby. But this other world, they don't want to just let the Klingons or the Romulans roll over them. I think we've got a tremendous chance to not only make friends but to really drive a wedge in there and prevent the Klingons and the Romulans from ever making an effective pincer formation. These people are reportedly very loyal. If we get them on our side now, I'd say we'd have allies for a very long time."

"What's the name of this planet?" Lucy asked.

"Daranaea."


	2. Chapter 2

2

_Know your rights, all three of them – The Clash_

"So we are agreed?" Arnis asked, a bit anxiously.

"Yes, yes, of course. I appreciate your supporting my research into finding a cure for thylacine paramyxovirus," Doctor Rechal said.

"And you will not say anything?"

"As we have agreed. The blame will lie with the secondary, and we will say that she was jealous of your attentions with respect to the last caste female."

"Plus the secondary has had two daughters recently. Who's to say she isn't having another?" Arnis complained. "Useless."

"You know that I can check the gender of her fetus as well."

"Don't," Arnis said, "I have enough going on right now. We have contacted that Federation of Planets. They are going to send representatives here. Elemus is now on the Council and he met them a few years ago. He says they seem to have different ways but their ships look to be powerful. They are odd, though, humans. They even had a female captain on one of their vessels!"

"Perhaps it was some special program," Rechal said, "maybe she had men advising her. I cannot imagine a female being put in charge of anything so important and complicated."

"They may be strange, but I think they can help us with the Klingons. And I don't need the distractions of a murder trial while I am negotiating with them. I will now contact the authorities, and have them take Mistra away and have her pay for the death of the boy child held by the female vessel from the last caste."

=/\=

"Daranaea?" Erika asked, "So it's _them_ again."

"Yes, I feel it's important to bring you in, Captain Hernandez, as you've had contact with the Daranaeans before," Admiral Gardner said.

"I think I remember that name," Jonathan said, "There was a First Contact report a few years ago. But I can't recall the details. Intelligent marsupials?"

"Captain Hernandez?" the admiral asked.

"Actually, Doctor Nguyen spent the most time with them. Care to talk about them?" she asked An Nguyen, her Chief Medical Officer.

He looked a little green around the gills. "I, it was a few years ago. We were contacted by a pleasure craft and I was asked to look at a patient. When Captain Hernandez and I got there, we learned they had a doctor, but that he had refused to treat this patient, a pregnant woman."

"But why?" asked Jennifer. She patted her own belly. Ines wasn't due for another seven months.

"It is," An continued, "they have a rigid caste system, but it's apparently only for the females. This woman was in the middle caste. Evidently only the upper caste is allowed Daranaean medical care, or at least is allowed it under all circumstances. So this, this secondary, she was basically being kept barefoot and pregnant. She told me that she had become pregnant while still pouch-feeding her youngest."

"My," Malcolm said, touching a dull grey metallic cuff on his left wrist. He often touched it when he was troubled or upset. It was a gift from _her_ – Declan's mother – and he never took it off. Touching it made him feel a bit like she was there, with him, when he was away and needed her the most.

"There is also a third caste," An stated, "they aren't let out much at all. I was able to give her an examination, but it was after a lot of convincing of her husband. She was not supposed to get medical care at all, despite the fact that she, too, was pregnant. And," he took a deep breath, "I'm not even so sure that _husband_ is the right word. _Owner_ seems more correct. They used the terms _husband_ and _wives_, but those women were all purchased."

"Yes," Erika added, "the first thing that the Prime Wife said to us, not even a _hello_ – she told us that she was very expensive. It seemed like a point of pride with her. The secondary told us that she was somewhat expensive. As for the third one, she didn't talk until Doctor Nguyen had her alone in Sick Bay. I am thinking that being cut-rate isn't something to brag about."

"And now they want our help?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes," said Admiral Gardner, "they have Warp capabilities and they have a militia, but they aren't really set up for space battles and the like. Now, I realize that dealing with them might be difficult, but they are in a strategic location and they are trying to be friendly. Elemus, the owner of the pleasure craft from First Contact, reportedly set up the connection. Elemus is now on their Beta Council. Their Alpha is the leader of their government, a man named Arnis."

=/\=

Mistra was still a little shaky, so she did something that often made her feel better. "Come here, children, and we will do more learning," she said, and led them back into a room devoted to that, which had a small board and writing implements.

Even Vidam came over, although he knew all of this already, for he was beyond home learning and attending a big school in preparation for his maturity. He was already in the sixth year of ten, and had received more big school learning than Dratha and any other Prime Wife on Daranaea. But then Seppa came over. "No," he said to her, "this is not for you. It is Father's rule. You are last caste. You must go in the other room."

Seppa did as she was told but she cried a little. She was only a little child, and didn't seem to understand.

"All right, ready?" Mistra asked, looking a little sad-eyed that Seppa could not join them, but that was Arnis's rule. "We will look at the picture writing today. We put pictures together and make bigger words. Here, now," she drew on the small board, a figure eight on a forty-five degree angle, "what is this?"

"That is the symbol for _sun_," said Cria.

"Right! And this?" Mistra drew a kind of backwards J character, with a double line.

There was silence. Finally Vidam spoke up. "That means _up_ or _high_."

"So when I put them together, what word do I get?" Mistra asked.

This time the second-born son – her own son, Trinning, who had had a year at the big school, answered, "_Sunrise_?"

"Right!" Mistra smiled, "You are all so clever. Arnis, Dratha and I, and, Int –" she almost mentioned Inta, "We are very proud of you."

"Why doesn't Seppa learn?" Cria asked.

"Seppa is in the last caste," Vidam explained, "they aren't taught to read and write. Father says that they don't believe in it."

"But Seppa wanted to be here with the rest of us," Cria insisted, "she has no mother now, and is afraid to be alone. She is but a little thing."

"She was wrong," Vidam said, "for Father says she does not belong here. When she is older, she will understand better."

There was a sound and the door of the children's learning room opened. It was Arnis, with Rechal, but there were also two armed security officers. Mistra stood up as quickly as she could. "What, what is this?"

"Are you Mistra?" asked one of the security officers while the other one sniffed her.

"She is from the secondary caste," concluded the sniffing security officer.

"I, I am Mistra," she said, getting scared.

"You are being charged with the death of a boy child," said the first security officer.

"What? I do not understand."

"The last caste female. When you killed her, she was carrying a boy child. This act carries with it severe penalties," said the second security officer, "and execution is not uncommon."

"I did not – Arnis! Arnis, tell them! I did not hurt Inta! I would never hurt Inta!"

The children all looked up, furry faces framing big, alarmed eyes moving to gaze at one parent's face and then another.

Arnis was silent and impassive. The two security officers took Mistra's hands and put them together. One of them shot a magenta beam from a wand. "Do not try to move your hands apart," he said, "or the paralytic field will become bigger. Come with us. You are to be incarcerated. Your penalty will depend upon whether you, too, are carrying a boy child."

"Arnis! Please! I am, am, I am _innocent_!"

9


	3. Chapter 3

3

_When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right – Victor Hugo_

Dratha came home to a house in disarray. The children were either crying or aloof, all with sad eyes. Only Cria was doing anything. She was trying to start dinner, which would be a simple dish of meat with vegetables and gravy. "Where are Mistra and Inta?" Dratha asked her, "This is their job."

"I, Dratha, I don't …." Cria turned away, so as not to show the Prime Wife her sad eyes.

Arnis came into the kitchen. "Greetings, my priciest one! I desire you this evening."

"Arnis, what is going on? The children are upset for some reason. Only the eldest secondary daughter is helping with anything. Even my own are overwrought and showing sad eyes. No one will tell me what is happening. Where are Mistra and Inta?"

"They are at the Security Office."

"Security?" asked Dratha, "What has happened?"

Vidam came in, and he, too, had sad eyes, but he was lured by the smell of cooking food. He was in time to hear his father say, "Mistra has murdered Inta. She was taken into custody, and the body brought there for evidence. It is very shocking."

"Husband," Dratha said, "that is so very strange. Mistra is flighty and a little dumb, perhaps, like all secondary females," she said this even though Cria was standing right there, "but she is not – at least, I have never known her to be, to be violent. I have known her for over ten years."

"Are you questioning me?"

"No," Dratha backpedaled, "I am merely pointing out how very strange it is."

"Vidam, you will explain that I speak truth," Arnis said.

Vidam swallowed hard and shifted his weight from foot to foot, "I, uh, I did not see it."

=/\=

Doctor Rechal had come with Mistra and the security officers. "You will determine whether she is carrying a boy child," one of the security officers had commanded him. He plucked a leaf from a nearby common plant and brought it to her.

"Put this in your mouth and get your saliva on it, then take it out and give it to me."

Mistra was still too shocked to do more than what she was told. She presented the wet leaf to him. It had turned to an ashy grey.

"She is carrying a boy child," Rechal said, "This is incontrovertible proof."

"Then she is not to be executed immediately. We will appoint an advocate and a guardian for the boy child," said the other security officer, "Her trial will be in a few days, if we can get a judicial panel together quickly enough."

There was a noise at the door to the Security Office. "The damned press!" swore a security officer. "What the hell do they want?"

The door opened, and four Daranaean males came in, with small cameras and PADDs. "Are you the secondary to our Alpha, Arnis?" one of them asked Mistra.

"I, I am."

"What are you being charged with?"

"I, I'm not sure. Inta …."

"The last caste one's body, I see it over there," said one of the reporters, "you must be charged with her killing."

"I suppose so," Mistra said, "but …."

"You will leave now, and give the Alpha his privacy," Rechal commanded.

"There is a story there," said one of the reporters as he left.

=/\=

"What do you expect us to do?" Erika asked.

"We'd like you to go there. It should take less than a day, we figure," Admiral Gardner said, "and then go to the surface, make friends and see what they really want. I'd like to know just how bad these incursions really are – are we talking about a misunderstanding that maybe can be resolved diplomatically, or are they on the brink of an all-out war?"

"We could study them a bit more medically and scientifically," Phlox said, "I realize that's not the mission, but this is an extraordinary species. We don't know of any other sentient marsupial species anywhere in the galaxy."

"Can I speak freely?" An Nguyen asked.

"Of course," Erika said.

"They aren't easy to be around. It took me over a year to stop feeling guilty about leaving the two; I guess you'd call them _lesser_ wives to their fate. I found it jaded me a bit, as both a doctor and an explorer. Just, just be prepared. I am happy to pass all of the data, every scrap of a report I've got about them, to everyone in this meeting, but I want you to know that this might be emotionally draining."

=/\=

Lucy read over the reports, the medical logs, everything that had been given them. Then she read them again. She sighed. An Nguyen had been right – it was taking something out of her to read about the plight of the Daranaean women. She contacted the Communications Officer. "Hoshi, I'd like to call Ben Collins, on Europa."

"Sure thing, here ya go."

"Thanks. Hi, Ben, how have you been?"

"Pretty good. I'll get Gina," Ben said, looking uncomfortable.

"Look, Ben," Lucy said, "I know things between us aren't always great, but you have been such a wonderful father to Gina. I can't imagine anyone who could have ever done better."

"What's bringing this on?" he asked.

"I just, I just wanted you to know. I know I don't say it often enough. I know we haven't been in love with each other for years, but you have made it possible for me to be out here. I don't know if that's an act of love, but it's definitely an act of kindness."

"Without you," he said, "there wouldn't be a Gina. So I owe you," he said, and then he turned away from the viewer, "Gina! Your Mom's calling!"

=/\=

Jonathan and Malcolm sat down together in Jonathan's Ready Room. Porthos, the captain's beagle, lay on a dog bed nearby.

"Are you comfortable with this mission?" Jonathan asked.

"I am prepared for anything you need for me to do."

"I know that. I am talking about the specific fact that you are a father. The report said that their treatment of female children isn't exactly nice."

"I'll make sure I'm all right, sir. Have you gotten a chance to look at pictures?" Malcolm asked.

"They're very furry."

"They seem to resemble Porthos here a bit," Malcolm said, "I wonder if their hierarchy is what a wolf pack evolved into."

8


	4. Chapter 4

4

_The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall – Che Guevara_

The trip was, as promised, done in less than two days. When they were within range, the Communications stations on both ships got mighty lively.

"Captain, I've got, well, it's not just hails," Hoshi Sato said, "but it's also, well, there's entertainment programs, news, military broadcasts, even a cooking channel."

"Well, I think I just want to talk to the, what do they call their leader?" Jonathan glanced over at Malcolm.

"The Alpha, sir."

"Alpha, then, uh, his name is Arnis. Maybe we'll take in the Daranaean late box scores later."

"Of course, sir," Hoshi smiled, and then got the communication on the main viewer screen.

"I am Arnis, the Alpha of the Daranaeans." He was tan-furred, greying a bit, and was sitting in what appeared to be a Council Chamber with what seemed to be other Daranaean dignitaries, all male.

"I'm Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship _Zefram Cochrane_. You, uh, Admiral Gardner informed us that you would be expecting us."

"Ah, yes, excellent. There is a second ship arriving as well, we see it on our screens," said Arnis, "we are very pleased that you are here! You may have seen, as you were coming in, the issues with the farthermost planet in our system. There is a modicum of construction going on, and I assure you that it is not of our doing. It is the Klingons, and while we are unsure of their intentions, well, it is not their planet to conquer or build upon, even if all they are adding are small settlements."

He paused for a moment. "I see your counterpart ship is hailing us as well. Split screen, please," he said to a male Communications specialist nearby.

"This is Captain Erika Hernandez of the _USS Excelsior_."

"We have heard of you," Arnis said, "for Elemus, who met you and your doctor – he is now a member of our Beta Council. He informed us that your people are very interesting, and your technology is impressive."

"I'll, I'll tell our doctor that we saw you again," Erika said, swallowing a little when she spotted Elemus in the Council Chamber.

"We hope you will come down to our planet's surface," Arnis said, "For we are asking, we know, a very large favor. We hope that we can show you some hospitality. I will combine my household with Elemus's for the evening, so that we may most properly welcome you."

Jonathan turned away and surreptitiously motioned to Hoshi to cut the sound. "I didn't think we'd be breaking bread with them."

"Well, sir, perhaps it could be both ships' captains, doctors, science officers and first officers," Malcolm suggested, "so, four of us from here and three from the _Excelsior_. At the very least, we could get scientific readings, even if the rest of it goes pear-shaped."

Jonathan nodded at Hoshi to get her to restore the sound. "We'd love to. Thank you for extending such a warm invitation."

=/\=

Doctors Phlox and Nguyen had some medical scanning equipment with them. "I suppose I'll see them again," An sighed, "I'm not so sure I can face them." They had gotten out of their shuttles at nearly the same time, just outside of a stone dwelling with large windows. Lots of little furry heads of various colors, and pairs of brown or blue eyes, watched from the many windows.

"Well, from what you've told me, and what I've read, I don't think that Elemus's two lower-caste wives will bear you any ill will. For them, unfortunately, this is all somewhat business as usual," Phlox replied.

Hamilton Roget and Lucy Stone had scientific scanners. "I hope it's not considered impolite to use one of these," he said.

"Maybe after dinner," she suggested.

Malcolm just stood with Jonathan and Erika. "At least it's a beautiful day," he finally said.

Arnis and Elemus came out to greet them. "Come in, come in!" Arnis exclaimed. "We would have used my home, but I am only down to one wife."

"Oh, uh, that's fine," Jonathan said, already feeling the odd vibe.

A greyish rust-brown woman came out first. "I was very, _very_ expensive," she said. "I am Dratha, Prime Wife to Arnis."

Just behind her was another grey female. An recognized her – she was Elemus's Prime Wife, Thessa. "I was very expensive," she said, before adding her name, "Please come into my home."

An enormous raft of children ran by – tan, brown, brindle, reddish and even two were off-white. "Are these all yours? You seem to have had more since we last saw you," Erika said to Elemus.

"Oh, only fourteen of them are my younger ones. The others are Arnis's. He is down to only one wife, and he cannot leave them all alone at his home."

There were three women putting out food. An recognized two of them – Libba, Elemus's secondary wife, and Cama, his lowest caste wife. They both looked older, and tired, and pregnant, weary with the weight of the world. The other one was brindle and seemed considerably younger.

"I thought you only took three wives," An said to Elemus.

"And we do. Oh! You must mean Cria here. She is Arnis's eldest daughter, the child of his, his secondary," Elemus stated.

"I am hoping to sell her for at least eight hundred Stonds once the time is right, a few years from now," Arnis said, "once the scandal blows over."

"Scandal?" Malcolm asked, touching the metallic cuff on his wrist just a little bit.

=/\=

On board the _Cochrane_, Hoshi was in command but the detail was a bit slow. Travis turned back to her and said, "The captain said maybe they had late box scores."

"You do realize that was a joke, don't you?"

"Well, sure, but we've got a chance to learn about a culture from its own transmissions. It might be more telling than what they're doing down there on the surface."

"Hmm, I guess it won't do any harm," Hoshi said. She went to the Communications station and toured around the broadcasts until she hit one that sounded really interesting.

=/\=

"Doctors, would you care to speak with some of our physicians?" Elemus asked Phlox and An.

"That would be good," Phlox said. An nodded.

Elemus took them to a small private room and helped them to get a Communications link to Doctor Rechal. "He is our foremost physician," Elemus explained.

"I am willing to answer any medical questions you have about us," Rechal said.

They spoke for a while, and then An asked, "What's your average life expectancy?"

"It depends. For males, it is one hundred and seven years. For Prime Wives, it's ninety-three years. For secondaries, it's sixty years. For the last caste females, it's forty-five years."

"Is there a reason for the disparity among the castes?" asked Phlox.

"Yes, it's due to the large number of pregnancies sustained by the two lower castes. Plus last caste females are always euthanized when they are fully menopausal."

An and Phlox looked at each other a little nervously. "Do you have any questions for us?" An asked.

"I do, actually, if you don't mind," Rechal said, "I have a major illness I have been studying, called thylacine paramyxovirus. It crosses both genders and all caste lines. I do not wish to have you find a cure for me – please don't misunderstand my intentions! We value our independence as a people. But I do hope that there will be some ways to exchange information and ideas. The deaths that the paramyxovirus causes – we do our best to replace our population by having many children but we are not quite perfectly keeping up these days."

=/\=

In a small cell in the Security Office, Mistra lay on her side. She had been given two mats – most prisoners only got one – because of the boy child she was carrying. But she only had one blanket. At _home_ – a word that made her sniffle a little – she would have had a big blanket and a little baby blanket. The smaller blanket would have been put around her shoulders with the big one on her legs. She had to keep her belly bare because of the baby in her pouch. Covering her belly could mean possibly suffocating the pouchling, so she was very careful.

A security officer came in. "You have not been eating," he said.

"I have not hungered," Mistra sat up on the mats.

"You must eat for the sake of the boy child," he said, "If you refuse another meal, we will begin to force-feed you. So I advise that you eat this meal."

"Y-yes." She began to eat, slowly. _For the boy child_, she thought to herself, _and for the girl pouchling_.

"We have determined that the boy child is innocent," said the security officer.

"Oh! That is good news, yes?"

"For him, yes. As for you, we will have a trial but it does not look good for you," he said.

"But I am innocent. I know this."

"Your testimony is worthless, you must understand. Not even Prime Wives are allowed to simply testify in open court. No female's testimony can be authenticated without corroboration from a male. So when you are convicted, you will be allowed to live until the boy child is born. And then you will be executed."

"_Executed_?! But you said I would have a trial!"

"Which I am certain you will lose," the security officer said, "for the Alpha has said that you are to blame."

"But my pouchling! What will happen to her and the boy child?"

"The boy child will be given to your husband and his Prime Wife to raise."

"And the pouchling?"

"That is an accomplice," said the security officer.

"How is that possible? This is a pouchling, less than half a year old!" Mistra cried.

"I do not make the laws," he said, "but the pouchling is a witness who did nothing to stop you from committing your foul deed. Our laws are that witnesses to foul deeds must try to prevent them, or risk being accused as well. The pouchling did nothing to stop it."

"She's a _pouchling_!"

"Are you questioning my interpretation of our laws, things that you, a secondary, cannot possibly understand?"

"But I could – could I give her to my husband and his Prime Wife? _Please_?"

"And let an accomplice get away with murder? I hardly think so."

12


	5. Chapter 5

5

_Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one – Marianne Williamson_

"Captain, have you any children?" Arnis asked Jonathan.

"No, I never married," he replied.

"Never married? You are indeed different from us," Thessa said, "for we all wed."

"Except for the lowest caste, if there are extras, and there are sometimes," Elemus said, "they are sometimes not sold as mates, and are practically given away to medical facilities for their experiments! And then there are some poor men, and they sometimes take pity on them, I suppose, and take them in. It is a practice that is just barely this side of legal."

"What is, if I may ask, other than cost, the difference among the three castes? Is it coloring, perhaps?" Malcolm asked.

"You cannot tell?" Thessa was incredulous.

"No. What is it we're supposed to be observing?" Hamilton asked.

"The aroma," Elemus said, "it is rather strong to us. Prime Wives always smell the best. Then the scent of the secondaries is pretty good. Come closer, Cria, and let the captain smell you."

"Uh, it's all right," said Jonathan, "we don't have very good noses."

"The lowest caste barely smells at all!" Thessa said.

"Is anyone here from the lowest caste?" Lucy asked.

"There is Cama from this house, but there is just one child," Dratha said, "for the lowest caste female who belongs to this house has only had boy children."

An raised an eyebrow. He knew why – it was due to selective abortions. "Where are the children?"

"Most of them are in the learning room," Dratha said, "except for the last caste child."

"Why isn't she in there?" Erika asked.

"They don't believe in education," Thessa said.

"I, I see. So this one child is your daughter, Arnis?" An asked.

"The child of Arnis's lowest caste female, where is she? They should see her. Cria, go get Seppa," Dratha said.

Cria returned with a little girl with off-white fur. The child was, perhaps, four years old. "My, my son is about your age," Malcolm said to her gently. The little girl looked down and said nothing, fidgeting a little.

"Are you his Prime Wife?" Cria asked Lucy, referring to Malcolm.

"Oh, no," she said, "we just work together. But I have a little girl. She's a little younger than you, I think. Where is your mother?"

Cria looked down, a little panicky.

=/\=

On the _Cochrane's_ Bridge, they watched the broadcast coming from the surface.

"_We're receiving sketchy reports," _the reporter said, "_but it appears that the Alpha's lowest caste female was killed by the secondary. Mistra, the secondary, is being held pending trial. A trial is allowed, and not just an immediate execution, because the prestigious Doctor Rechal has determined that she is carrying a boy child."_

"What?" Hoshi asked as she and Travis and the rest of the Bridge crew watched the broadcast on the main viewer screen.

"You better make sure to record this," he said to her.

"Good thinking," she fiddled with controls at her station.

The broadcast continued. "_What is most interesting is that Mistra is apparently protesting her innocence. This appears to be a contradiction to what the Alpha said and, if she speaks truth, it could be a source of some discomfort for the Alpha while our guests are here. We have sent a reporter to the Alpha's home as we understand the Federation guests are there, and should be able to get you some exclusive first-ever seen pictures of barefaced humans_."

Hoshi went back to her station and contacted Captain Archer. "Sir, we were just watching a broadcast from the surface. It looks like the press is coming over."

"They're already here," Jonathan said, "uh, Archer out."

=/\=

"Captain, I must apologize for the disruption, but we have a very free press here on Daranaea. It is one of the prides of our democracy. They do ask a lot of prying questions, but the people must be kept informed!" Arnis said, "Do you, uh, mind the intrusion?"

"Not at all," Jonathan said, smiling tightly.

There was one reporter, who had a kind of greyish blue merle coat, and a photographer, who was tan. The reporter spoke. "My name is Craethe. I would like to interview you and your subordinates."

"Well, Captain Hernandez is equal in rank to me," Jonathan said, pointing out Erika to the reporter.

"How very strange," said Craethe, "and that brings me to my first question. Is she your Prime Wife?"

"I thought I answered this one," Jonathan joked, "I've never married. In fact, the only one of us here who has married is Doctor Phlox."

"You are a different species, yes?"

"Yes, I am Denobulan," he said.

"And your Prime Wife is at home?" asked the reporter.

"I have, well, I come from a culture that also has three wives, but we refer to them as _first_, _second_ and _third_."

"So, your first wife is at home?"

Phlox smiled. "The only reason they're called _first_, _second_ or _third_ refers to when I married them. It does not refer to status. And, I might add, each of them has three husbands."

"That is rather shocking," Craethe said, "females on our world only have one husband, even if he dies young. May I ask about children? I realize these are intimate questions but our viewers would love to get to know you a bit as individuals. There is much curiosity and speculation. This will give you a chance to set the record straight."

"I have five children," Phlox said.

"And how many are boys?"

"I have three sons and two daughters," Phlox said.

"Do any of you others have children?" Craethe inquired.

"I have a son," Malcolm said.

"And I have a daughter," Lucy added.

"Are they promised to each other?" Craethe asked.

Malcolm laughed a little. "My son is only three and a half years old! Lucy's daughter is – how old is Gina again?"

"She'll be nine later this year."

"Well, perhaps he'll prefer an older woman, and take after his old man," Malcolm said, "but I don't think he'll care much for at least a few more years." He smiled a bit.

"Do you arrange marriages?" Erika asked, "We were under the impression that brides were purchased."

"They are," Craethe explained, "but in wealthier households, like Elemus's and Arnis's, sometimes the transaction is agreed upon beforehand. Prime Wives generally aren't auctioned off to the highest bidder."

_But apparently the other two are_, Malcolm thought to himself, and quickly his merry mood went back to being nervous and unsettled and he sought solace, as he often did, by touching metal.

8


	6. Chapter 6

6

_The seed of revolution is repression – Woodrow Wilson_

Hoshi and Travis kept watching the Daranaean broadcast.

"_We have some still photographs from the home of Beta Councilor Elemus. Oh, this is exciting! These are the first ever pictures of barefaced humans_!" gushed the news reader.

Pictures were then projected on the broadcast. There was Jonathan standing and smiling and shaking hands with Arnis, and another was of the two doctors standing together with Elemus. There was another one of Malcolm and Hamilton standing with Elemus and Arnis.

"I don't see any photographs of Captain Hernandez or Lucy," Travis pointed out.

"And there aren't any of the men's wives. Didn't the reports say that the wealthy ones all have three wives? There have gotta be women there, I figure," Hoshi said.

"Maybe they're camera shy. Or maybe those pictures just aren't up yet," Travis suggested.

=/\=

There were no pictures of the human women because they had been looking to escape the press's questions. Erika and Lucy walked toward the back of the house, exploring a little. They almost stumbled over Cama, who looked down. "It's all right," Erika said, "do you remember us? You met Doctor Nguyen a few years ago."

"Yes, I remember. He is kind," Cama said.

"I hope we're not intruding," Lucy said, "but those questions were getting to be a bit much. When they asked us to show off our pouches, well, we don't have pouches."

"And we're not exactly interested in baring our stomachs just for a press photograph," Erika said.

Cama shrugged. "I am not asked to because I am in the last caste."

An came over. "You had about enough, too?" Lucy asked.

"Yep, I was a little tired of the prying, asking why I wasn't married yet. Reminded me of my grandmothers! Cama, how are you feeling?" He couldn't help it, to be a doctor, and took out a scanner and checked her. She had lost some weight since he had last seen her. Her pouchling moved, its silhouette visible just under her skin.

"I am often tired, as is Libba. We are, as you can see. It gets harder every time. Doctor, can I, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he said.

"Do you use Krivian Weed?" Cama asked.

"I've never heard of it," he said.

"It is how we determine the gender of our young before they are born. Come outside, and I can show you, if you like."

With little else to do, the three of them went outside with her and over to what looked like a box hedge.

"See, all you do is you take off a little sprig. And you stick it in your mouth and get saliva on it." She demonstrated, and then pulled the leaf out. "It has turned grey, see? That means I am carrying another boy child, just like my pouchling."

"What color does it turn for a girl?" Erika asked.

"A dark purple-red," Cama replied.

"And what if you do this and you're not pregnant, or if a man does it?" An asked.

"Then the leaf stays green." Cama took a deep breath. "It has a good smell, kind of a mint, so many families grow it. I do not leave here often. I am not allowed to leave without a male escort, but the garden is pleasant, and today is a pretty day." She sniffed the air.

Libba came over to see what was going on but didn't take a leaf for herself. "Children's learning is done for the day." Her own pouchling seemed to turn over.

An scanned the hedge and its leaves and didn't find any poisons. "I wonder if this would work on humans," he said, "I can't find anything in here that can possibly hurt us." He broke off a sprig and stuck it in his mouth, then fished it out. As expected, it was green. "It even tastes a little minty. Anyone else care to try?"

"Uh, sure, why not?" said Erika, who broke off a leaf. Lucy did the same.

When they presented their sprigs, Erika's was green and Lucy's was a mulberry color.

"A girl child!" Cama exclaimed, smiling and clapping her hands.

"But I'm not, uh…" Lucy said.

An turned the scanner on her. "I take it this is unexpected," he said, "I think you're about a week and a half along. Phlox will be able to tell better once he gets you into the imaging chamber."

"We have a ritual," Libba said, "when we find out that a wife is carrying a child. Would you like to participate in it? It's very fast." She, too, was smiling – it seemed as if it was the first time since they had arrived.

"Um, sure," Lucy said, still a little shocked.

The two Daranaean women joined hands with her, and with each other, forming a triangle. "First, the Prime Wife would speak. She would say, '_I am the Prime Wife. From me you will receive guidance_.' And then the secondary," Libba said, "that's me, I say, '_I am the secondary. From me you will receive learnin_g.'"

"And then I speak", Cama said, "and I say, '_I am the last caste female. From me you will receive service_.'"

"Then the mother speaks," Libba said.

"What do I say?" Lucy asked.

"You say, '_I am the mother_.'"

"I am the mother," Lucy repeated.

"'_From me you will receive love_.'"

"From me you will receive love." Lucy repeated. "That's beautiful."

"We also have a ritual for birth. That is for all of the women in the household. Would you join us, Captain?" Libba asked.

"Why not?"

This time, Erika, Libba and Cama joined hands and Lucy stood in the middle. Libba again began. "First the Prime Wife would speak. She would say, '_I am the Prime Wife. I will give direction_.'" Then I speak, and I say, '_I am the secondary. I will give time_.'"

"Then I speak," said Cama, "and I say, '_I am the last caste female. I will give labor_.'"

"Then the mother speaks", Libba said, "She says, '_I am the mother_.'"

"I am the mother," Lucy repeated.

"'_I will give nourishment.'"_

"I will give nourishment," Lucy repeated.

"Then the daughters speak," Cama said, "they go in turn, first the Prime Wife's daughters, in age order, then the secondary's, and then the last caste female's daughters. What they say depends on whether it is a boy child or a girl child. For a girl child, they say, '_I am'_ – and then they say their name."

"I am Erika," Erika said.

"'_And I offer sisterhood'_," Cama said.

"And I offer sisterhood," Erika repeated.

"What's the difference if it's a son?" An asked.

"Then the sisters say, '_and I offer sisterhood and obedience when you are older_.'" Libba said.

"Oh, and your baby must have a gift!" Cama broke ranks and rushed into the house.

"You don't have to give me anything," Lucy said.

"Oh, we have extras. Ah, there it is," Libba said.

Cama had in her hands a small, light yellow baby blanket and presented it to Lucy.

"I think this is the softest thing I've ever felt," Lucy said.

"It is, their skin is very delicate," Cama explained.

"The mother, while the child is a pouchling, the mother cannot cover her own belly with a blanket, because the pouchling cannot get enough air. So the mother uses a regular blanket on her legs and a little blanket like this by her face and chest. This also passes over the mother's scent to the blanket."

"When the pouchling comes out for the first time," Cama said, "the entire family is involved. The baby is named, and swaddled, and given the blanket that the mother has been sleeping on. This keeps the baby warm and it helps the baby to sleep better."

"Thank you so much," Lucy said, voice breaking a little bit.

"Even girl children deserve a gift," Cama said, "yes?"

Lucy just nodded. "Could, um, could we keep this between ourselves until we get back on the ships? I, uh, I better talk to Andrew before I talk to anyone else."

"Of course," An said as they made their way back to where the others were.

=/\=

"Look, you're right, there's a picture of the women," Hoshi said after several more minutes.

It was a picture of Lucy and Erika. The news reader said, "_How very strange! Our reporter on the scene, Craethe, tells us that the women state that they do not have pouches. What a fascinating race these humans are! We will tell you more as this story develops_."

"I wonder if they asked for proof," Travis said.

Hoshi was about to comment when there was the sound of a Communications hail. She went over to her station to answer it. "Hiya, Tate," she said. It was the Communications Officer from the _Excelsior_.

"Hoshi, we think we picked up something on long-range sensors. Can you confirm? We're looking at the farthermost planet in the Daranaean system; you know the one where the Klingons are building something? We think we're detecting nuclear fission there."

"I'll check it out, and alert Captain Archer. You'd better call Captain Hernandez as well. Sato out." She first turned off the Daranaean broadcast so that they could see the main viewer, and then worked the controls, "Captain Archer?"

"Go ahead."

"We think you're about to get some company. Actually, we all are. The _Excelsior_ thinks they detected nuclear fission on that remote planet."

"Got it. We'll head back. Archer out."

"Are your people in danger being here?" Arnis asked.

"No, but the shuttles could be fired upon," Malcolm said, "I recommend beaming up, sir. We could collect the shuttles later, I suppose."

"Good idea," Jonathan said, "do you, uh, mind if we leave them here?" he asked Elemus.

"Not at all. Hopefully, this will only be a short interruption in your visit."

They got into the shuttles. Libba came over to say good-bye. "Doctor Nguyen," she said, "I hope we see you again soon."

"I hope I see you, too," he said. She looked so thin and tired, despite her pregnancy. He had been pleasantly shocked that she was still alive.

They departed.

=/\=

Mistra waited in her cell. For what, she did not know. She leaned back on the mats and lifted the top of the pouch carefully. Looking back at her were huge dark brown eyes, framed by a little face with brindle fur and soft, whisper-thin whiskers. The pouchling continued nursing but watched her intently. "I know I'm not supposed to do this, for you can get cold," Mistra said, "but I know you'll be out in maybe a week." She reached in with her right hand and gently stroked the pouchling's head. "The family is supposed to welcome you when you come out of the pouch for the first time. I'm afraid it will only be me. But I will welcome you, and I will name you then."

The pouchling just kept nursing and staring at her as she spoke.

"And then two months after that, your little brother will be born. Can you feel him, moving around just below you? He will come out and, and, we will welcome him and," she paused. Normally, the child would be welcomed by the females just after he had gone into the pouch. But she was it, and she knew that, once the boy child was born, he would be taken from her, and would never be placed inside her pouch. And then she and the pouchling would be taken away for execution, "I," Mistra couldn't help it, but began to weep a little, "you and I, we will, when your, your brother is born, you and I, we will go to the place with all of the good smells. We will be together forever and we will never be cold or sick or hungry. I, I just wanted to, to look at you right now, so that we would be sure to remember each other, and be able to find each other, when we go to the, the place with all of the good smells."

She could not help it, and wept, looking down at the pouchling who would not be permitted to live for very long, and for the most foolish and unjust of reasons that she did not fully understand.

13


	7. Chapter 7

7

_If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution – Emma Goldman_

Hoshi began to get a bit more alarmed as sensor readings came back. It wasn't just nuclear fission that was going on. It seemed that there were energy signatures. Those were, perhaps, indicative of Klingon ships coming into the area.

She sent Jennifer Crossman Ramirez to run the Transporter, two at a time and then thought better of it and went over to meet the captain and everyone else in person, leaving Travis briefly in charge on the Bridge.

Malcolm and Phlox beamed up first. "What's the trouble?" Malcolm asked as soon as he saw her.

"I think we've got ships in the area. There are energy signatures."

"Very well. I'll go to the Bridge and relieve Aidan and take a look at whatever readings he's got. Doctor, I suggest you prepare for the possibility of triage. And, and, I'll sound the alert."

Phlox nodded, and jogged down a hallway to get to a lift and head to Sick Bay.

=/\=

"Call an emergency meeting of the Beta Council," Arnis said to Elemus as the humans were departing, "I would like to send our fleet. We may not have a lot of firepower, but we should show our good faith, and try to help out our new friends. I want them to know that we don't want them to just do everything for us."

"Yes, sir," said Elemus, who got the Communications specialist to open a channel to carry out the Alpha's request.

=/\=

"Mother, may I speak truth with you a moment?" Vidam asked Dratha when they had returned home.

"You may always speak truth with me, my first born."

"Mother, I, I went into the room, into Father's room when I heard a crash. And, and it was just he and Inta. She was on the floor and bleeding from her head. She was not moving. Mistra then came in after me and so did the younger ones. Mistra was only coming over in order to intercept the younger ones."

"I want to understand what you are saying, Vidam," Dratha said cautiously, "when you came in, you were but the third person in the room? And Inta was already gone to the place with all of the good smells?"

"Yes, Mother. It, it seems so wrong, what happened, and for Mistra to be blamed. I feel she did nothing, but will pay horribly. It is, I feel, it is unfair and unjust."

"You speak truth?"

"I speak truth."

"We will, something must be done," Dratha said quietly, "let us think about what can be done about this. Tell no one what you have just said to me, my first born. I, I feel it would not be safe for you."

"I will be careful, Mother."

=/\=

As they flew out to the farthest reaches of the Daranaean system, there was a Communications hail. "It's from the surface," said Hoshi.

"On screen," said Jonathan.

"Captain, I'm glad we caught you," said Arnis, "we have contacted our fleet and sent a pack to intercept you."

"A what?"

"We have small ships. They do not have very good firepower but they are fast, and will probably get there before you do. We use a pack formation. The Alpha pack leader is named Acreon. He will be contacting you. Perhaps you can work together. We are prepared to help you – we do not wish for you to fight all of our battles for us. We do value our independence."

"I'll wait to hear from him. Archer out." He turned to Malcolm. "Anything?"

"Ah, I can see them now, Captain," he replied, "There are a few dozen ships coming in. He's right; they're rather small. I suspect they aren't much larger than our shuttles. Decent armor but, as he also said, the weaponry is not the best. And they are definitely moving quickly."

"Travis, can you estimate a speed for them?"

"Warp Seven, I think," Travis said.

There was another Communications hail. "I've got Acreon," Hoshi said.

"On screen."

"I am Acreon, Alpha pack leader." He had white and brown fur patches.

"I'm Captain Jonathan Archer. We've got your ships on our sensors." He glanced over at Malcolm, who nodded.

"Good," Acreon said, "we can draw fire and give chase. Let us know how we can work with you."

"Malcolm?" Jonathan asked.

"Actually, sir, can we get Captain Hernandez and Lieutenant Young? I have an idea."

"Hoshi?" Jonathan asked.

"Getting them now, sir." She paused. "Go ahead."

It was a split screen. "Commander Reed's got an idea for a strategy," Jonathan said.

"Yes, well, Lieutenant Young, how do you feel about reenacting the Battle of Cowpens?"

"Yes!" Stacey Young exclaimed. "You do realize it's how the Americans kicked your ancestors' keisters, don't you?"

"I do," he said, "But a good battle plan is a good battle plan, I figure."

"You'll have to tell me the details," Acreon said, "for I am unfamiliar with your history."

=/\=

Mistra must have nodded off. Her fingers had slipped slightly – the ones that she had stroked the pouchling's head with. Her right index and middle fingers were now a little farther down. And they were being gripped, tightly, by a tiny hand.

She lifted the top of the pouch again. "I should not just show you sad eyes. You deserve to see happy eyes a bit, too." She smiled at the pouchling, who continued nursing and staring, and gripping her fingers.

"You are my littlest girl child," Mistra said, "the eldest of the ones where I was the vessel, he is Trinning. Then comes Cria. There are eight more, can you believe that?"

=/\=

They engaged their cloaks and got into position. The Daranaean ships did not have cloaks. They seemed to be very spare, with the only extras being defensive ones or related to speed. Those ships could do Warp Eight, although it did strain them to do so. They were roughly cylindrical in shape, and were only big enough for two men.

A few slowed down and showed themselves, and began to orbit the planet. Others made lines either just above or below the poles. Most of the other Daranaean ships hung back.

A Klingon ship appeared from behind the planet.

"Klingon vessel," Acreon sent out a hail, "we are here to defend what is ours. This is your only warning."

"Puny ships!" laughed a Klingon captain. "You're like ankle nippers. This should be simple." He closed the connection without further comment.

The Daranaean ships continued on their courses, either orbiting the planet, traveling in a line by either pole, or hanging back.

And the strategy worked, for a disruptor shot was fired. The Klingon ship fired upon one of the lead Daranaean ships and destroyed it. Other Daranaean ships circled back behind it and then another Klingon bird of prey appeared, dropping out of warp. Then a third Klingon vessel appeared, on the other side, also dropping out of warp.

The _Excelsior_ briefly reappeared and fired on the second Klingon ship, and then recloaked itself.

Jonathan looked to Malcolm, "What's next?"

"We need to come about," he said, "Travis, run us back to just starboard of the second Klingon ship, see? The _Excelsior_ will be coming 'round to the other side, here. The Klingons know about the _Excelsior_, but not about us."

More Daranaean ships moved in, drew fire, and got the Klingon ships to maneuver. Pretty soon, the three Klingon ships were relatively tightly bunched together. "We can see the whites of their eyes," Jonathan said, "I'd say it's time to decloak and fire."

"Right you are, sir," Malcolm said. He disengaged the cloak and brought the weapons up quickly. The _Cochrane_ turned and fired at the second Klingon ship's port nacelle, and damaged it, but that ship did manage to get off a shot at the _Cochrane_. The Bridge rocked.

"Report!" Jonathan yelled.

"Engineering is a little shaken but it's nothing we can't handle," Jennifer shouted back as two people behind her worked to put out a small fire.

The _Excelsior_ then decloaked, too, and they fired upon the first Klingon ship's starboard nacelle. That ship, too, was damaged. The _Excelsior_ then recloaked.

The third Klingon vessel was the one in the middle. It was busy picking off Daranaean ships, but now the ones that had hung back maneuvered behind. They fired their weapons, all at the same time, at both of that ship's nacelles.

"How bad is the damage to that last ship?" Erika asked.

"Not as crippling as I'd like," Stacey Young said, "Permission to decloak and fire?"

"Granted."

A shot from the _Excelsior_ hit that ship's port nacelle just as a shot from the _Cochrane_ also hit the same nacelle. The nacelle exploded from the impact. That ship seemed much more seriously damaged than the other two.

The three Klingon ships departed as quickly as they could.

Acreon opened a channel to the two Earth ships. "Ankle nippers, indeed."

10


	8. Chapter 8

8

_You can jail a Revolutionary, but you can't jail the Revolution – Huey Newton_

The remaining Daranaean ships returned to their base. The _Excelsior_ and the _Cochrane_ returned to orbiting Daranaea. "I suppose we need to collect the shuttles," Jonathan said, "open a channel to their Beta Council," he said to Hoshi.

"Ready."

"Captain! We were just about ready to contact you. We want to thank you for what you have done for us," Arnis said.

"Would it be all right if we returned tomorrow to pick up our shuttles? I think my people would like to rest and, frankly, I wouldn't blame them."

"By all means. Next time, I hope to have purchased new wives and will be able to properly entertain you in my own home. We are a loyal people and we owe you our appreciation. Thank you again. Daranaea out."

Jonathan sighed. "I'll be in my Ready Room."

=/\=

Jonathan dictated once he got into his Ready Room.

"_Captain's star log, April nineteenth, 2165. Today we spent some time with the Daranaeans. The reason was twofold, so far as I am concerned. One reason was to see if we could, perhaps, get off on a better foot with them, as First Contact was rather difficult. The second reason was to determine whether a perceived threat by the Klingons was truly as bad as they had said. We learned that it was."_

He paused to sip a glass of iced tea.

"_We engaged in a small battle with three Klingon Birds of Prey. We managed to damage all three of those ships, including fairly heavy damage to one of them. I don't know if the Klingons will be returning. There was nuclear fission detected and so I figure they will probably want to return and continue whatever they were doing, whether it was weapons testing or generating power. I fear that there will be more of these engagements."_

He paused briefly.

"_The battle was conducted with not only the Cochrane and the Excelsior, but also with a number of Daranaean ships, under their Alpha commander, a man named Acreon. The Daranaeans don't have a lot of firepower but they did draw fire from the Klingons and helped to corral them so that the Cochrane and the Excelsior could fire most efficiently. Several Daranaean ships were lost in the attempt, but they also succeeded in helping us repel the Klingons. Their help was invaluable. We were damaged only slightly. I doubt we would have gotten off as easily as we did without them."_

He backed up the log to listen to what he had so far, and then continued.

"_The Daranaeans' willingness to fight and die with us makes the rest of this that much more difficult. These seem to be decent people, with much to offer the Federation, and not just in terms of our being able to study them. But their treatment of women is appalling, and it makes me wonder – as the Federation grows, will we begin to have minimal standards for membership? Or will we take in just anybody? What I am asking is will we ever have a minimal standard for sentient beings' rights?"_

He stopped dictating, unsure of what to say next.

=/\=

Back in his quarters, Malcolm made a call. There was only one person he wanted to talk to. "Oh, hi," she smiled as soon as she saw it was him on the viewer. "I'll go get Declan."

"No, no, please, not yet. I should like to speak with only you."

"Of course," she said.

"We had contact with a species today, called the Daranaeans," Malcolm said, "and I, I don't quite know what to do."

"I'm sure you'll figure something out. You always do."

"We, it's that, we fought a battle with them today. Side by side, as it were, and some of their ships were lost and their people were killed."

"What about the _Cochrane_? Are you okay?" she was distressed.

"I am all right, and we didn't have any injuries beyond a few little bumps and bruises. But they had some deaths and ship losses. They, they wanted us to help them repel Klingon incursions, and we did. But I wonder if there will be more days like today. The Klingons, I suspect, will return."

"So you think this is a sticky tar baby you're getting yourselves into?"

"That's a part of it. But, you see, it's also because of the way they treat their women. They buy and sell them, they readily dismiss their opinions, I, it's hard to watch."

"You don't have to spend time with them all the time, you know."

"I know. But if this wasn't a strategic location, I doubt very much that we would be here at all. We are caught, a bit. They are," he said, touching the metallic cuff again, "rather hard to take. I met a little girl, about Declan's age. Under other circumstances, I would have encouraged the parents to stay in touch, and perhaps the children could play together some day. But this little girl was frightened of me."

"Well, you were a stranger."

"Probably, but it was also that they said that all of the younger children were in some sort of learning room, except for that one. She was deliberately being kept out of it. They said that that caste didn't believe in education."

"Well, if they're bought and sold, I imagine they're a bit like slaves," she said, "and didn't American slave owners keep their slaves illiterate?"

"That's right," he said, "I, can I ask something?"

"Ask anything, any time."

"Would you be very disappointed if I were to resign?"

"Resign?"

"Yes, I, I haven't thought this all the way through, but I am thoroughly disgusted by this. Their people clearly have impulses to help, but with the way they treat their women, I fear I shall never be able to look any of them in the eye. They are wrong, they are so very wrong."

"Have you talked to Captain Archer yet? Maybe you won't have to deal with them."

"I am the First Officer, my love," he said, "I know I cannot get out of this. It was as if, what if Declan was a girl, named Diana, perhaps? And we were Daranaeans. We would, in perhaps ten or more years, begin hunting 'round to find a mate for her, someone to purchase her for good capital. Or, rather, it wouldn't be the both of us. It would just be me, for your opinion, it would mean absolutely nothing."

"Oh, Malcolm."

"I wish to make a stand," he said, "I have always been an obedient soldier, an officer, respectful of the chain of command. But I feel that I must, I must protest."

"Listen to me," she said, "stand up for what you believe in. It's one of the reasons that I love you. And if you have to resign your commission, or even leave Starfleet entirely, then so be it. I work! We'll be fine. No one will starve. You can always come home."

He looked at her, so far away, on the viewer. "I would die if we did not have the kind of true equal partnership we have. I shall go to the captain, and tell him tomorrow morning."

"Malcolm, there is one thing."

"Yes?"

"It's possible that, by sticking around, you might show by example that things can be another way. Those people are probably so used to the way they are, they can't conceive of any differences. Maybe you can help to show them that there's another way that things can be."

=/\=

"Andrew, can I talk to you?" Lucy jogged to catch up with Andy Miller, who was coming out of a lab. She had the soft baby blanket in her hands.

"Sure. We having dinner again tonight?" he asked.

"Well, um, okay. Can we talk somewhere private?"

"The biology lab I was just in is empty. Is that okay?"

She nodded, and they entered the lab. "So, what's up?" he asked as soon as the door had shut and he had kissed her.

"Andy, I know we haven't been that serious."

"Not too serious," he said, "we have fun together."

"Well, uh, maybe we have too much fun," she said.

"Can you tell me what that means?" 

"Andy, while I was on the surface, I figured out that I'm pregnant."

"Oh," he said, and sat down on a nearby stool. "What does Phlox say?"

"He doesn't even know yet."

"Huh?"

"Doctor Nguyen checked me out. It was, I didn't even think about it, but on the surface two of the women we met, they said if you swabbed this kind of leaf in your mouth, you could figure out the sex of your baby. And I figured I'd do it and it would turn up with nothing. But, um, I was mistaken."

"I see. You said it could tell the baby's sex. What did it tell you?"

"The leaf turned purple. They said that meant I'm having a girl. I guess we'd have to wait for an imaging chamber scan to confirm. It's possible that the specifics are wrong. But Nguyen did scan me and he said I was maybe ten days along or so."

"That was after Movie Night," he said absently, "uh, do you wanna go through with it? I'll abide by whatever you want to do."

"I'm still thinking it over," she said, "You know, you have rights, too."

"I know, but it's not going to be my body. Plus I don't have a daughter at home to talk to about this."

"Right," she said, "I haven't thought of what I'll tell Gina yet." She turned the blanket over a few times in her hands.

"Well, I want you to know, I'll go with you to all of your appointments with Phlox," he said, "even if it's just to, uh, if it's to not go through with it."

"Thanks. It's funny."

"What is?"

"The women on the surface – they're completely repressed. They live pretty much at the whims of their husbands and, so far as I can tell, they must be giving in to relations pretty much all of the time, by the sizes of their families. Birth control must be nonexistent or forbidden to them. Yet when we figured out I was pregnant, they were so happy for me. They showed me their rituals. There's one for when you conceive, one for when you give birth, and the last one is for when the baby comes out of the pouch and is named. They even gave me this." She handed him the blanket.

"That's nice and soft. Any kid would be comforted by it."

"They said the mother, when the baby is in the second stage and just lives in the pouch; the mother sleeps with the baby blanket. And that way the blanket gets her scent. When the baby gets the blanket, it's very comforting. It's the softness and the smell. I guess it's also the fact that it comes from the mother, too."

"That makes sense," he said, "all that their babies know is the mother during that stage. They're pretty amazing creatures, biologically speaking."

"They are," she agreed, "but it was also – these women had so little. They have few rights and a boatload of responsibilities. Yet they gave me something that they found to be valuable and they shared their rituals and they showed me that they get something out of it all. Will a relationship with the Federation help their people to see the light and set them free?"

"Fre_er_," he suggested.

"Or will it look like we're condoning their more abominable practices?"

=/\=

Doctor Phlox wrote a letter.

_To the attention of Doctor Jeremy Lucas, care of Cold Station Number Twelve_

_April nineteenth, 2165_

_Dear Doctor Lucas,_

_I trust that all is well with you. I am writing because I have had a chance to meet and examine a number of Daranaeans. You may have read of them in the literature. They are a sentient marsupial species – the only one known so far in the galaxy. _

_I was also able to speak with a Rechal, who was identified as being their foremost physician. He informed me that there is a major disease that they have not yet been able to cure, called thylacine paramyxovirus. I was favorably impressed that he did not want us to do his research for him – he was just hoping for some hints and an exchange of ideas._

_Doctor An Nguyen and I were also able to ask about the average life expectancy of Daranaeans. The disparity between males and females, and then among the three feminine castes, was most troubling. Males have the longest average lifespan by far. The last caste females can be expected to live less than half that time, on average. Their lives are cut short not only by numerous rapid-fire pregnancies but by mandatory euthanasia once they have gone through menopause. It is a tragic existence._

_I am writing to you because, not only did I wish to share my findings with you, but also to ask a little advice, if I may. Jeremy, I do not believe this to be a situation whereby we would be interfering with the development of a culture. This is an advanced Warp-capable civilization. Yet their treatment of females is barbaric. I find myself wondering whether some form of intervention would help at all, or whether it would simply make me feel better while doing naught for these women. Would you speak to their government, or at least to their medical community, if you were me, and speak out against their treatment of women? I fear my emotions are clouding my judgment in this area._

_I thank you for any guidance you can give me._

_As ever,_

_Phlox_

=/\=

On the _Excelsior_, Erika also dictated a report.

"_Captain's log, April nineteenth, 2165. Today we had a rather full day with the Daranaeans. What started off as a dinner at a Beta Councilor's home ended up turning into a full-fledged battle. The Excelsior only sustained minor damage and very minor casualties. The Zefram Cochrane received a little more damage but it appears that repairs are either finished or close to it. Captain Archer can obviously speak better to that than I can."_

She took a breath and then continued.

"_The Daranaeans were extremely helpful in defeating a group of three Klingon Birds of Prey. We determined that nuclear fission was going on, on the planet that the Klingons have been trying to occupy. I can understand the Daranaeans' concern. Aside from the strategic importance of this system's location, it is also obvious that a weaker system is being preyed upon by a stronger one. It seems that, as a general policy, the Federation might want to consider getting involved in some of these sorts of disputes as there is a very real opportunity to do the right thing."_

She looked out the window a little at the planet below, and then started dictating again.

"_The troubling thing about the Daranaeans is their treatment of their females. Casual sexism is tossed around just as readily as are vapid discussions about the weather. I was privy to two rituals engaged in by the females, which centered on pregnancy and birth. Within these rituals are subtle distinctions among the castes which serve to promote Prime Wives and denigrate the last caste women, while walking a thin line when it came to the secondaries. In addition, we learned that a last caste child of perhaps three or four years of age was not permitted to join in with the home schooling that the other children enjoyed. Whether this was by law or custom or both, I do not know. When asked, we were merely informed that that caste "did not believe" in education – a statement that I find difficult to believe."_

=/\=

Hamilton Roget dictated as well.

"_Personal log, April nineteenth, 2165. I met Daranaeans today. I can't say I was completely surprised by them as Doctor Nguyen had filled me in on a lot of the details. I recall a dinner with a few of them, a few years ago, but I suppose I had put it all out of my mind. But now I remember."_

He sipped some coffee and then continued dictating.

"_They are obsessed with marriages and matings. It's a lot like my maternal grandmother was before I came out to her – always pushing me to find a nice girl and settle down. My grandmother came around, but I bet the Daranaeans never would. I get the nagging feeling that, if there are any gay Daranaeans that they must be rather firmly stuffed into whatever their equivalent is of a closet."_

=/\=

An just stood in the _Excelsior's_ Sick Bay, a little stunned. The doors opened. It was Erika. "Something I can do for you?" he asked, eager to think of something, anything else.

"Can I talk to a friend?"

"Always," he said, "I doubt I have to ask what's on your mind."

"No, I'm sure you don't have to," she said, "What did you think? You've spent more time around them than any other human has."

"I, well, it's like this. I know that the Federation is small. And I recognize that this is some sort of a strategic locale. I get that. And I also get that they called on us, again. They keep unlocking the door to a relationship with us. And we open it, and then we don't like the things that we see. I can't see that changing any time soon."

"You're probably right about that," she allowed.

"I was wondering, just when do we give up on them? And then, what does that mean for the Daranaean women? Have we let them down?"

"I keep wondering the same thing," she said, "and I wonder if, being female, I'm somehow reacting more strongly to this than I suppose I should."

"I don't think you're overreacting," he said, "I've got that old feeling, that guilt, that nagging feeling that something should be done. But what?"

=/\=

In her cell, Mistra decided to do the thing that always made her content – learning. "I do not have a board or any writing implements," she apologized to the pouchling, "and you won't know much of this. Your brother," she choked back a little sob, "won't remember any of this. Still, we should do this. If there are signs in the, in the place with all of the good smells, I want you to be able to read them."

She put her right hand on her own belly and began to trace with her index finger. "First is the first pictograph. I know it's backwards." She made what looked like _a capital_ _Y_.

"That is the first term. It means _male_. See how the arms are raised to the sky? That is because he is powerful and mighty and bows to no one. Next I will show you the term that is in the middle of all of the many pictograph terms," she drew _one straight vertical line, short_, with one finger.

"This means _baby_. This means any kind of baby, at any stage. The arms are not up because it is dependent. And we don't know if the baby is a male or a female. So it could be a pouchling just like you!"

Then she drew _a half-circle_. The arc was at the bottom, "This term is the very last of all of the many, many pictograph terms. It means _female_. See how the figure looks like a pouch? I have one, and you have one. Your little brother inside, he will not have one."

She then drew a _semi-circle with a capital Y in its center_. "This is a compound. It means _Prime Wife_. See how she has a boy child in her pouch?"

"And here," now Mistra traced _a semi-circle and several straight short vertical lines within it_, using all five fingers of her right hand.

"This means _secondary_. See how she has lots and lots of babies in her pouch? That's me. And that is you. We have the most babies of all, for Prime Wives can refuse relations and the last caste they, they sometimes, I think they lose their babies more often that we do. It is sad."

Then she traced _a semi-circle with only one short straight vertical line inside it_.

"That one means _third caste female_. She has but one baby in her pouch. But I want you to know that even last caste females are valuable and loving. Inta," she paused, remembering a little sadly, "Inta was very kind to your big brothers and sisters. She could not read or write with them, but she cleaned and fed them and kept them company, just as much, and just as lovingly, as if she had been the vessel for them. I wish you could have known her a little."

21


	9. Chapter 9

9

_The only way to support a revolution is to make your own – Abbie Hoffman_

The next morning, Jonathan sat in his Ready Room on the _Cochrane_ and petted Porthos. There was a door chime. "Come on in."

"Sir," Malcolm said, "might I have a word with you?"

"Of course. You're thinking about our friends on the surface, right?"

"If _friends_ is the right word, then, yes," Malcolm said, "Sir, I'm not certain that I can, that I can continue."

"I don't understand."

"I, sir, I am only here to serve. And I like to think I do a good job following orders."

"Of course you do. I wouldn't have wanted you for my First Officer if I didn't think you excelled."

"Well, thank you, sir. But I don't believe I can, that we should, that is to say, I don't see that I can continue as your First Officer if we are to simply watch the Daranaeans and what they are doing, and just sit idly by as they exploit so many of their people."

"Not continue?"

"No, sir. I would rather resign my commission – and even resign from Starfleet, if absolutely necessary – than continue with dealings with the Daranaeans as they stand. I just, I feel that we should not be simply letting this happen. I feel that we should – or at least I should – I would like to, sir, I would like to take a stand for human – er, sentient species – rights."

There was a silence, and it was broken by a Communications chime. Jonathan answered it. "Hoshi?"

"Sir, you should watch this. It's a Daranaean broadcast. There's some sort of a trial going on."

=/\=

On the _Excelsior_, there was a Communications chime, "You'd best watch this," Jonathan said to Erika, "I believe this is the scandal that Arnis mentioned but never actually got around to really telling us about."

"How interesting," she replied, and then motioned to Ensign Tate to switch to the broadcast.

=/\=

"_We're here live from the trial of Mistra, the secondary wife of our Alpha_," said Craethe, "_this case has proven to be fascinating as Mistra has consistently protested her innocence, in direct contradiction to what the Alpha has said is spoken truth. Now, we all know that only females can testify with male corroboration, but it does raise some interesting questions_."

He stood in a court room where there was a five-judge panel and a small audience. Mistra was nearby, looking scared.

"_Yes_," agreed a man who was evidently an anchor, "_while contradicting the Alpha is not a crime, it is not recommended! The secondary probably feels she has little to lose. Is there an accusation directly against the Alpha?"_

"_There is not_," replied Craethe, "_all we have heard from Mistra is her proclaiming her innocence, but she has not stated anything about any other person as possibly being responsible for the boy child's death."_

"_And the vessel_," reminded the anchor.

"Vessel?" asked Erika.

"_Vessel_," An repeated aloud, alone in Sick Bay. He knew that the anchor meant that the deceased was not even born yet, and the vessel was the fetus's mother. There was a second victim, and she apparently was not even worthy of mention on the news.

=/\=

In the Alpha's home, Dratha paced. "This is absurd. Mistra would not hurt anyone."

"Mother," Vidam said, "I do not wish to accuse Father of anything. He is at the Beta Council. I am certain that they, too, are watching the trial."

"Everyone is watching the trial," she replied.

"You're right," he agreed, "but also – I agree – Mistra is not a violent person. I don't know what happened. And I don't know why it happened. Perhaps there was a prowler who came and went very quickly? But I do know that this is wrong. Mistra does not know what to do. She must be very frightened. She has been nothing but kind to me, to all of us. We cannot let this happen."

"Will you go with me," Dratha asked, "and back me up, corroborate if I go into court and speak truth?"

He thought for a moment. "I will do this."

"Perhaps, at least, we can save her pouchling. Come, we must hurry," she said.

=/\=

At the trial, a witness was called. "_Doctor Rechal, what did you observe?_" asked a judicial panel member. The panel was composed of all male Daranaeans. Two were brown, one was grey and the other two had black and white spots. The grey one appeared to be in charge.

"_I was called to the Alpha's home and found the last caste female on the floor of the Alpha's bedroom. She had already gone to the place with all of the good smells. There was a gash on the side of her head_."

"The place with all of the good smells?" Jonathan asked, on the _DC-1500_.

"I imagine that's supposed to be their heaven, sir," Malcolm said.

=/\=

On the surface, in Elemus's home, the entire family was agitated, even Thessa, who was normally unflappable. "This is outrageous," she finally said, "a public trial, for all to see."

"I understand that it is her right," said one of the secondary's boy children.

"I know, but it all seems so, well, pointless. Why have trials if the Alpha is right about everything, anyway?"

"Perhaps the Alpha is mistaken," Libba said quietly.

"Or does not speak truth," Cama said, even more quietly.

Thessa thought about that. "I have seen Mistra and have known her for several years. And on the viewer they are saying that Inta had a large gash in her head and had gone to the place with all of the good smells, and went there very quickly. That would imply a very heavy blow," she paused, "I do not wish to sound like I am contradicting the Alpha but, that seems to me, to be something that Mistra might not be capable of. She was pregnant _and_ pouch feeding _and_ made such a heavy blow with her hands? Is that even possible?"

There were sounds outside their home. Cama looked through a window. "There are some people in the street. They are, listen to what they are saying."

They could hear it, others, males and some Prime Wives, they were saying "_Mistra may be innocent! Give her a fair trial!"_

The viewer cut away to a scene outside the court. "_This is strange_," the field reporter said, "_but there are people coming. They are saying Mistra might not be guilty. There are demands for a fair trial_."

Libba looked Thessa in the eye, "If this is wrong, we should say something, and not just in here where we are the only ones who can hear it."

"We cannot leave the children," Thessa said, "and Cama cannot go out without a male escort."

"Then my eldest son will be her escort," Libba said, "and we will all go. We will leave no one at home."

8


	10. Chapter 10

10

_Revolution begins with the self, in the self – Toni Cade Bambera_

"Are you seeing that?" it was Erika, calling Jonathan.

"I am," he said, "it looks like an old-fashioned protest."

The viewer cut away to the court again. "_We are finished with your testimony. Thank you, Doctor Rechal,_" said one of the brown members of the judicial panel.

Mistra stood up. "_I wish to speak truth_."

"_You are not allowed without male corroboration_," replied one of the panel members, "_You know this is our law."_

"_But I am innocent! And the pouchling is innocent! Please let me speak truth! At least for the sake of the pouchling!"_

Jonathan looked at Malcolm, "Did you mean what you said in my Ready Room?"

"I did, sir."

"Then – I have an idea. All of it except for the resigning part? Wanna repeat that in open court?"

"With pleasure, sir."

"Lucy, care to return to the surface?" Jonathan asked.

"If you want me to stand up for that woman, I will," she said, "I don't know what she's done or hasn't done, but surely her pouch baby is innocent."

"Hoshi, you have the Bridge until we get back," Jonathan said, "and ask Doctor Phlox to meet us by the Transporter. And kindly ask Captain Hernandez if she and her people would like to join us."

=/\=

On the _Excelsior_, they had virtually the same idea. "Hamilton, how do you feel about visiting the surface and taking a detour before we pick up the shuttle? Say, a trip to a court room?"

"I could do that," he said, "and we should bring Doctor Nguyen with us. I think he'll have something to say, too."

"I think we both know that Starfleet doesn't want us interfering with domestic affairs like this," she said.

"True," he said, "but I feel it's the right thing to do. And this might color our future relations with this species."

"Good idea. I'll say that when I report this – _after_ we're done," she said.

=/\=

Once Dratha and Vidam had departed, Cria looked at Trinning and the others. "Mama and our littlest sister are in peril. I think we can do something. We can all go into the streets and make our voices heard."

"Seppa cannot go out without a male escort," Trinning reminded her.

"Then that shall be you, brother," Cria said, "We will bring everyone. We will move slowly but we will go to the street outside of the court and stand and speak truth for Mama and our smallest sister."

=/\=

The seven of them beamed down, two by two, from both ships.

"Got a _specific_ plan?" Erika asked Jonathan.

"Not unless someone here suddenly went to Law School," he said.

"I guess we'll do our best," she said, "Far as I can tell, things can't get any worse in there."

They burst into the court. The five judicial panel members all stood up as one. "You can't come in here!"

Outside, Craethe reported excitedly, "_The barefaced humans have arrived! Keep watching – this is a most exciting development!"_ he, too, went into the court and the camera followed.

"We're surprise character witnesses," Jonathan said.

"_Character_? I'd be surprised if you had ever seen this female before now," said one of the brown judges.

"We still want to speak," Erika said.

"If you want to make friends with us, trade with us, exchange medical information with us, and fight and die with us, I suggest you let us say a few things," Jonathan said.

"Very well," said a spotted judge after the five of them had discussed the matter, "but one at a time."

"Malcolm?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes," he said, and swallowed hard. He was not accustomed to public speaking. "I, well, I just wish to say that this, this trial seems to be little more than what we call a kangaroo court. It's, it seems, to me, to be a sham when you won't even allow the accused to testify."

"The accused cannot have verified testimony," said one of the brown judges.

"But why is that? Is that due to a perceived issue with her lying, or is it because she's got a bloody pouch and you don't?" he asked, reflexively holding his cuffed wrist with his other hand.

"Females can only testify with corroboration from a male."

"But that rule is ludicrous! You're discriminating against this woman, so far as I can tell, because of a factor beyond her control – her gender. That is what is determining, for you, whether she is trustworthy?"

Jonathan put a hand on Malcolm's shoulder. "Lucy?" he said.

"Accusing her may actually be valid," Lucy said, "but the pouch baby? My understanding is that they can't speak, can't see clearly and can't walk. How do you propose that that kid could possibly be guilty? My, my daughter, she's eight. She could do something wrong. She does wrong things sometimes. But when she was a tiny infant, she couldn't possibly be held responsible."

"Anyone who sees a crime and does not attempt to prevent it is an accomplice," replied the grey judge.

"But that's an infant!" An stated. "All you do here is, you don't – we have a symbol. It's the scales of justice. And they are supposed to be as balanced as possible. But this is anything but balanced. It's like you're leaning on the scale with all your weight when it comes to women. And the lower the caste, the heavier you lean."

"We have a hierarchy," explained the grey judge, "we have had a hierarchy since, well, since even before we became sentient. We evolved from a species which lived in hierarchical packs."

"But that was generations ago, was it not?" Phlox asked, "You have evolved in plenty of other ways. You have industry, and a free and open press. You have democratic government and agriculture and you live in constructed homes. You have Warp drive! And yet you cannot let the deep past release its hold upon you?"

"It is important that families remain intact. It is important that children are born, and are protected," said a spotted judge, "There is a virus that is decimating our population."

"But what about families where they can't have children, or maybe they won't?" Hamilton asked.

"_Won't_?" asked a brown judge, "Who would not want children?"

"Not everyone does, or can," Hamilton said, "My partner and me – if he and I wanted to become parents, we would adopt, or work with a surrogate mother. And we would love our child but, together, we can't biologically have one. Are we worthless to you?"

There was a lot of murmuring among the spectators.

Erika spoke, "I am a female human. And I am no one's wife. And I am beyond the age where we can have children. I'm not a member of any caste. You would put me to death, right? You'd throw me out with the kitchen waste. Yet in the Federation, I'm a starship captain. I don't pretend to tell you I'm the best captain who ever was. But I have a job and I do it. My job isn't making babies. It's exploring. And sometimes it means going to war, too. We aren't saying that you have to change everything. We can't impose all of our values on you. I'm sure you have values you could teach to us. But we are here because we were watching the trial on the viewer, and we spent time with your Alpha and his family last night, and five years ago we met Beta Councilor Elemus and his family, and I have to tell you, there is a major disconnect there. There is a complete and utter lack of fairness."

"What Captain Hernandez is saying, if I may," Jonathan said, referring to a PADD, "is that the Federation is a kind of successor to an organization that we created on Earth a good two hundred years ago. It was called the United Nations, and it came out with a Declaration of Human Rights. Now, we know that you aren't human. And we realize that our ideas of rights may differ from yours. But we think that three rights have got to be available to everyone, regardless of species. And those are the right to free speech, the right to a free press and," he said, "the right to a fair trial."

9


	11. Chapter 11

11

_At the time of the Revolution, dogs howled day and night all over Russia – Andrei Platonov_

Outside the court, Dratha and Vidam fought to enter. They passed right by a field reporter, who said, "_It's the Alpha's Prime Wife, and their eldest son! Are you here to pass judgment?_" he asked eagerly.

"_No_," Dratha said, a bit annoyed, "_we're trying to get in and testify._"

The field reporter motioned to get someone to assist them, and then addressed the camera. "_I wish we had a means for transmitting smells through the viewer. The Alpha's Prime Wife is truly legendary."_

On the _Cochrane_, Travis said, "I bet they'll pay good money if someone could invent _Smell-o-Vision._"

"C'mon, this is serious," Hoshi said.

=/\=

The scene shifted to inside the court room again. The Starfleet contingent was still standing at the front.

"We don't presume to make you follow our ways," Jonathan said, "we just think that some things shouldn't be negotiable. Our Federation may need members, but everyone here is going to recommend – we are, potentially, going to jeopardize our careers," he glanced over at Malcolm, who was touching the metallic cuff something fierce, "we are going to recommend these three minimal standards. You are already one-third of the way there. Your press is free and open. It's an admirable standard that we all should follow. But it's hardly worth much if all they do is report on unjust laws and rulings, or if they can't really speak openly at all. You talk a lot about speaking truth, and that's good – you _should_ speak the truth. Yet so many of you seem to be afraid to do so."

"I am not afraid," said Dratha, entering.

There were murmurings. "_It is the Alpha's Prime Wife! She is even more of a beauty than I had thought! Such a trendsetter! Look at how she wears her whiskers! I have lived to see this day!_"

She strode purposefully to the front of the room. "I will speak truth."

"Do you have a male to corroborate your testimony?" asked a spotted judge.

"I shall confirm her testimony," said Vidam, following right behind her.

"Then do you swear, in the name of all of the good smells, to speak truth?" asked a brown judge.

"I do."

"What was your price?"

"My name is Dratha."

"That is not the question," insisted the grey judge.

"I know that," Dratha gave the entire judicial panel a withering glance, "but it hardly seems courteous for you to inquire as to my value before my name. Unless you are planning on purchasing me?"

The brown judge swallowed hard and remained silent.

"You couldn't afford me, anyway. I was purchased for four thousand, eight hundred and twenty-three Stonds."

There were gasps in the audience. "You are indeed legendary," replied the brown judge, a bit taken aback. "What truth do you wish to speak?"

"I have known Mistra for over ten years. She has been a loving vessel and mother for that entire time. She has cared not only for the ones where she was the vessel, but for the ones where I was, and even for the ones where Inta was."

"Inta?" asked the grey judge, "Which female is that?"

"The dead woman is Inta," said Dratha, "you did not know that? You did not even know her name?"

"It was deemed unimportant," said one of the spotted judges.

=/\=

Outside the court, the crowds were getting larger. Cria and Trinning fought to keep their siblings together. They saw Thessa, Cama and Libba with their family, and joined them. "What is happening?" Cria asked.

"History, I think," Thessa said.

They could hear others speaking. "They said the dead woman's name was unimportant!" exclaimed a nearby secondary female.

"Well, she was only a last caste female," replied her companion, another secondary female.

"But she was the vessel for the Alpha's boy child!" insisted the first female. "Shouldn't that have counted for something?"

"Are they saying that Inta was not important?" Trinning asked, "Inta fed and swaddled me when I was an infant and my own vessel – mother – was sick or had to care for one of the others. She cared for all of us, regardless of caste. Inta was, she was good to us."

All around them, the females – and the males in the streets, too, for there were some of them, acting either as escorts, or they were the sons of some of the females, and even a few of them were husbands – they all began chanting together. It was one word, one name.

_Inta._

=/\=

The Beta Council chamber was only a few buildings away from the court house. There was a camera crew, and they would not leave, even though they were supposed to do so when asked to by the Alpha. "We cannot get anything done!" shouted Arnis.

"Arnis don't lose your temper," Elemus said to him, "this was bound to be a difficult day."

"Alpha, do you have a comment?" asked a field reporter.

"I will be silent," he replied, fuming.

In the background, it could be heard on the broadcast, wherever the broadcast was heard – and that included the _Cochrane_ and the _Excelsior_, and in all of the provinces on Daranaea – there was the chanting of the dead female's name.

=/\=

"Inta and Mistra and I all worked together to raise the children," Dratha said, "I may be the Alpha's Prime Wife but changing dirty swaddling is not beneath me when it is one of our own. And I say _our_ – not _my_ – for I cannot bear to see a child who is uncomfortable or frightened."

"Do you have any more to say?" asked the grey judge.

"Yes. If Mistra loses her case, I wish to adopt her pouchling in addition to her unborn boy child," Dratha announced.

"We will need to deliberate about this," said one of the brown judges.

"Do you speak truth?" asked a spotted judge.

"I speak truth," Dratha said, and gave him a look that seemed to say – _how dare you assume otherwise_.

Vidam looked around, "I, before you deliberate, I, too, wish to speak truth."

"You swear in the name of all of the good smells?"

"Yes."

"Speak truth," said the grey judge.

"I, we were in the learning room. It was everyone except for Dratha, who was not at home, Father, Inta and Seppa."

"Who is Seppa?" asked a brown judge.

"She is Inta's girl child and was not allowed to be in the learning room. I, I don't know why," Vidam replied.

"A third caste child has no business with learning," sniffed a spotted judge. "Go on."

"We heard a crash," Vidam said, "and we all got up to investigate. I began to run over to Father's room. We are not supposed to go into Father's room when he is alone with one of the wives but it sounded like someone had been, had been hurt."

"And what happened then?" asked the grey judge.

"I ran in and I, I saw Inta on the floor. She was bleeding and not moving. I think she had already gone to the place with all of the good smells," Vidam said.

"Where was the accused?" asked a spotted judge.

"Mistra was behind me," Vidam said, "when I first ran in; it was but the three of us. Four, I suppose. It was me, it was Inta, it was her boy child and it was Father."

There was talking in the audience, and it was getting louder. "_How can this be? The Alpha, what did he do? Did the Alpha slay his own boy child?_"

=/\=

The scene on the viewer then shifted back to the Beta Council. The field reporter asked, "_Alpha, will you comment now? This does not look good_."

Arnis looked flustered, and said, "_She refused relations. Any of you would have done what I did_."

"_No, Arnis_," Elemus said, "_we would have gotten angry, yes. Taken away privileges, perhaps. But we would not have struck and we would not have slain. That is wrong. It is not our way_."

Arnis became even more agitated. "_Rechal was in on it! The prestigious Doctor Rechal stayed silent in exchange for research funding! You must accuse him if you are to accuse me!_"

=/\=

"Have you spoken truth?" asked a brown judge.

"I have spoken truth," Vidam said, "Please do not euthanize my, my secondary mother. Or my half- , uh, my sister."

"We will deliberate," said the grey judge, who motioned to a security officer.

The security officer went over to Rechal, "Hold your hands together." When Rechal did as requested, the officer shot a magenta beam. "Do not attempt to pull your hands apart, or you will increase the range of the paralytic field."

Rechal spoke. "Doctor Phlox! Doctor Nguyen! Thylacine paramyxovirus is still a problem for us, a horrible killer of any kind of Daranaean! I know that this is wrong, what I have done. But I still hope that our doctors – perhaps Varelle could work with you – I hope that our doctors can still exchange information with you. Regardless of my faults and my greed and my motivations, our people are still suffering. I ask that you not punish them because of me."

In the background, there could be heard more chants from the outside, of "_Inta! Inta_!"

The security officer began to lead him away, and Rechal said one more thing, "Please take me over so that I may face the accused." The security officer did so, and Rechal said, "I, it is rare that a male apologizes to a secondary such as yourself. But I must. I must tell you that I regret endangering you and your pouchling. And I regret possibly setting back our research. I will be back in this court soon enough, and humans and Prime Wives will not come to try to save me. You have powerful friends. I hope you realize that."

=/\=

"Holy cow," Hoshi said, "you think she's been exonerated?"

"I dunno," Travis said, "look, there's more. They're switching back to the Beta Council."

=/\=

"_Do not try to move your hands apart or the paralytic field will –"_

"_I know what the damned paralytic field will do!"_ yelled Arnis. But in his angry mood he lost his judgment. He pulled his hands apart, hard, and the field did, indeed, spread. He could not hold himself up, and he fell. Two security officers had to make the Alpha of Daranaea suffer a most regrettable indignity, of being carried out of the Beta Council chamber, not unlike how a Prime Wife in labor is carried to a doctor's office.

12


	12. Chapter 12

12

_No real social change has ever been brought about without a revolution... revolution is but thought carried into action – Emma Goldman_

It was slow going to get through the crowds and return to Elemus's home. Erika spotted Cama and the two groups merged as they walked, and then Arnis's family also joined. The other Daranaeans gave them a bit of a wide berth and continued to chant, but now it was more like a song than a protest, "_Inta! Inta!"_

Malcolm got a little impatient with the slow going and ended up picking up one of the smaller children. "And what is your name?" he asked the little girl, who was brindle-colored.

The little girl hid her face, shy but not scared.

"That is Minna," Cama said, "She is a daughter of Mistra's. The youngest before the pouchling, I believe."

"I have a son who is, I believe, a little bit older than you are," he said, "would you like for your Mummy to keep in touch, and maybe someday you and Declan could play together?"

Minna hid her face again, but there was a smile behind her furry hands. She then tentatively touched his face, giggling a little at how hairless it was.

"She is very shy," Cama said, "many of the littlest ones are. And I suppose we teach them to be shy, and to be meek and let everything happen to us. Maybe we should teach them to be stronger. I don't know."

"I think their generation has an excellent chance," he said, "of becoming the independent persons who I think you all, deep down, want them to be. Male and female, for I think your males are a bit restricted as well. They are taught to think a certain way, and to behave a certain way, and it seems to me that some of them, like, like Vidam, they see that it is wrong, but they can't quite articulate as to exactly why." He adjusted Minna in his arms. "I think our peoples have a very good chance of becoming good friends. And, and not just on our terms, but on yours as well."

"Do you think someone of my age could benefit from learning?" Cama asked.

"Yes," Malcolm said, "I think you could."

"Do you think I am capable of understanding learning?" Cama asked, "For I have never tried it before."

"I believe you are capable of a lot more than anyone has probably ever said that you could do."

"I now believe I am, too."

=/\=

They found the shuttles just where they had left them. "Will you be all right?" Jonathan asked Dratha.

"I believe so. I can ask Elemus to look in from time to time. But Vidam will be the head of the household now. He is young but I believe he is up to the task."

"You will help me, yes, Mother?"

"I shall provide quiet guidance," she replied, "but if you make all of your decisions the way you made them today, then you shall make good decisions."

"Good-bye, Doctor Nguyen," Libba said, "I hope you understand our ways better."

"I think I do," he said, "and I hope you understand ours, too."

=/\=

On the _Excelsior_, Erika dictated her report.

"_April twentieth, 2165. We are leaving the Daranaean system and heading to Andoria. Repairs are complete and no one is in Sick Bay._

_I think we judged these people based upon First Contact. At the time, that was the only information we had, but now we know a bit better. And I have to say, there is value there, value beyond strategic positions and scientific studies. This is a society in transition. I think we can have ringside seats to a transformation. I hope we stay close with this species, and help them to see it through. If they want our help, that is. But it's not often you get to see a society at the time of its first emergence from its Dark Ages."_

=/\=

Hamilton Roget, in his quarters, received a call. "Hey!" he said, smiling when he saw the familiar face of his partner on the screen. "What brings this?"

"Well," said his partner, "I wanted you to know that history was made today. Your grandmother actually called me and asked me to lunch. And we went. We had a really nice time. I think she's coming around."

"I'm glad she's finally starting to accept you," Hamilton said, "today I saw history made, too."

=/\=

Doctor Nguyen also dictated.

"_Medical log. I have had occasion to meet with a couple of former patients, the Daranaeans Libba and Cama. Both of them were both pregnant and pouch feeding when I saw them. This is five years after I last saw them. I expected them to appear older, and they both did. I suspect their fur turns grey in much the same way that our hair does, and they are both a bit grey now. They are also, unfortunately, a bit thinner. Clearly this is an issue during pregnancy. I advised them and their husband that they need to be consuming more, for the sake of not only the children's health but also their own. I also advised that the time between pregnancies should be lengthened next time. I believe they understood._

_My hope is, after recent events on Daranaea, that they might have a chance to, in the future, refuse relations or use birth control. I suspect that neither woman's body can take too many more pregnancies."_

=/\=

On the _Enterprise_, Doctor Phlox also dictated.

"_We are leaving the Daranaean system and will probably not return for a while. I have been able to take several medical scans of various Daranaeans of both genders, all castes and in various stages of pregnancy, pouch feeding, both, neither, premenarche and menopause. _

_They are a fascinating species. One of their foremost physicians has been taken into custody, but he did manage to tell myself and Doctor An Nguyen about a disease that__his people are facing – thylacine paramyxovirus – it is reportedly a killer crossing all caste, gender and age lines. _

_One thing that impressed me was the doctor's desire for some exchange of ideas but he was adamant that the Daranaean people do not wish to have us doing their work for them. They are committed to finding the cure for themselves, and desire a more equal partnership than a lot of other species in their same circumstances have. _

_The virus appears to be genetically similar to Newcastle disease and some forms of influenza. Current treatments include bed rest, analgesics and emergent retroviral therapies. I am confident that they will have a cure soon, possibly within the next decade or two, and it will be exciting to see how their medical knowledge evolves._

_In other news, Ensign Lucy Stone has made an appointment with me and asked me to give her a pregnancy test." _

=/\=

Lucy was in her quarters, with Andrew. "Are you about ready for your first appointment with Phlox?"

"I am," she said, "but first, this." She selected the Communications option from the desktop's screen. "Hoshi?"

"Yes?"

"I'd like to talk to Ben Collins and Gina Stone, on Europa."

"Hang on," there was a pause, "okay, go ahead."

"Mom!" Gina exclaimed.

"Sweetheart," Lucy said, smiling, "you remember Andy? We, uh, we have some good news to tell you."

=/\=

Malcolm was also on a call. "Is he bigger than when I last saw him?" he asked, referring to Declan, who was sitting on his mother's lap.

"That was yesterday. So, uh, I don't think so. I see," she gestured on her clavicle, mirroring where his insignia were on his uniform, "you didn't resign or lose your commission." She touched an old-fashioned skeleton key charm on a chain around her neck. The chain and the charm were both made of the same dull grey metal as Malcolm's cuff. The key was a gift from him, and she never took it off. She touched it, sometimes, as she thought of him far away, across the light years.

"I did not," Malcolm said, "we all went to the surface, and we all said our, our piece. I think the Daranaean people understood. I just feel that the people we intimately deal with should be as committed to freedom as we are."

"I'm glad Captain Archer agreed with you on that," she said, "and I certainly do. Your desire to stand up for what's right is one of the many, many reasons why I love you."

She held up a bit of finger painted artwork. "I think this is a bunny. Is this a bunny?" she asked their son.

"Doggie," he replied.

"That actually looks a bit like the people I met," Malcolm said, "Daranaeans look a little like that but their ears aren't as long." He paused a moment and then looked at them both fondly. "If I had lost my position, I would have come straight home, you know," he said, "and chased you 'round the garden."

"Hopefully not while I was getting ready to go to work!"

"It would be after you come home from work, then."

"I'd be tired then," she said.

"On the weekends, then," he said.

"We'd get a sitter sometimes," she looked at him a little mischievously.

"I'll get leave soon. I cannot wait to see you, love."

"I will be counting the days," she said, "and Declan here will count with me, won't ya, Dec? Remember how we practiced? One, two."

"T'ree!" Declan exclaimed, laughing and throwing both hands up in the air.

=/\=

Jonathan was on a call of his own, to Starfleet Command. "And that's what happened," he said, "I want you to know that it was all my idea. If there's any blame to attach to this, any reprimand, let it just be on my shoulders. If you need for me to resign, I can do so. Malcolm Reed could take command."

Admiral Gardner looked at him. "I can't say we loved that you just went ahead and did this. But we do understand your motivation. By all accounts, the Daranaean society is an odd hybrid of modern and backward thinking and behavior. Maybe now they'll throw off more of their backward ways."

Admiral Black added, "We have found that the Federation is currently of two minds when it comes to new members. Some current member species want to take in pretty much anyone, so long as they promise to protect and defend the current member species. I can understand that desire. The Federation is small and, as we all know, all too painfully, space can be a dangerous place."

"But there are others," Admiral Gardner interjected, "who agree with you about the idea of minimal standards. It would be very hard to take, if we were, well, the way we are, with our government system, and making nice with a bunch of brutal dictators."

"For us," Black said, "it's somewhat analogous to the old Earth United Nations."

"I remember that from history," Jonathan said, "it became a lot of member nations. And it was not all democracies. There were definitely dictatorships and democracies in name only, in the mix."

"Right," Black said, "but there was also the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. The member states made it known that there were certain ideals that they admired, and hoped future member states would also admire, and try to uphold and live up to."

"We don't want to tell the Daranaeans how to live, or how to govern themselves," Gardner said, "it's a bit of a delicate balancing act. But it's also, you're right, if we don't speak out against obvious injustice, how are any of us supposed to sleep at night?"

"When we left, it looked like Elemus would be put in charge on a provisional basis until they could have a special election," Jonathan explained, "he's got more experience with humans than any other Daranaean official, so that bodes well. But," he shook his head, "I doubt that women will be voting in that special election. Who knows how long it will take for them to wrap their heads around _that_ idea?"

"Baby steps," Gardner said, "remember it was hundreds of years between the Magna Charta and the American Declaration of Independence."

"Oh, and another thing," Admiral Black said, "This is confidential, but Malcolm Reed's going to get the _DC-1505_ once it's built. But that may be a while. The budget isn't what it used to be. Amazing what peace will do to budgets!," he smiled wryly, "Plus there are more innovations in design, I understand. It could even take as long as a decade to get it built and the way it really should be. So don't resign just yet or we'll need someone else to command that ship. And I don't relish breaking in another captain over time."

"I'll keep quiet, no matter how long it takes. Don't want to spoil the surprise. I know he and his family will be thrilled," Jonathan said, smiling, "Archer out."

13


	13. Chapter 13 and conclusion

13

_Women Unite, Take Back the Night – Anna Pride_

"It is time for learning," Mistra said a few days later. Happy to be home, all she wanted to do was learning.

"We were interrupted last time. Will we be interrupted again?" asked Minna, a little scared.

"I don't think so," Mistra said, "come and let us go to the learning room."

They all went in except for Seppa, who knew she wasn't supposed to go. Mistra counted little noses. "Where is – who are we missing?"

Vidam and Trinning counted, too. "I think that's everyone," Vidam said.

"No, wait," Trinning said, thinking, "We are missing Seppa."

They all looked around. "She should join us," Vidam finally said, "for the child of one so brave should not be denied learning any longer."

"Are you certain?" Dratha asked.

"It is against what Father did. Is that an unwise choice?" Vidam asked, a little nervously.

"No, it is a fine choice," she replied, "but it is also a very different one. It is one that others will not necessarily follow or approve of, even though I understand that it is legal."

"Perhaps they should follow it, too," Vidam said.

He walked through the hallways of their home and found Seppa sitting near one of her mother's old blankets, holding it and sucking her thumb and crying a little. He scooped her up in his arms, blanket and all. "You are going to do learning today with everyone else," he said, "and you will do learning any time the rest of us do, from now on."

"I am not supposed to," she said quietly, "Father said not to. Is Father coming home?"

"I do not know. But that is the old rule. There are new rules now, maybe. I run the household. I suppose I can make any rules I wish," he said as they entered the learning room. He set her down on the seat next to Minna, who was close in age to her.

Mistra and Dratha smiled at the new addition. "This is a good day," Dratha said.

Mistra drew on the board, a _Y_, "Can anyone tell me what this symbol is?" she turned to face her students.

Minna pointed at her. "Mama!"

Mistra looked down and could see a little brindle-furred hand emerging from the top of her pouch. "It is a very good day!" she put down the writing implement and sat near the little girls.

Cria left and returned with a soft off-white baby blanket. "Oh, you kept it," Mistra smiled.

"Of course we kept it," Dratha said, "Minna could only sleep when she was near your smell. And we, we always wanted to believe you would be able to come home to us again." Her eyes shone a little but it was not from sadness.

"Can we help the pouchling?" Seppa asked.

"No, we must let her do this for herself," Dratha said, "but we are here in case she is in any real distress."

The pouchling slowly grasped the top of the pouch with one hand, and then another. And then she figured something out, for she pushed down a little on the top of the pouch. The top of the little brindle head began to emerge, and then the rest. She looked up at her mother first, and then out and around to her surroundings, to her family, little mouth agape.

She then scrambled a little more, holding onto the top tied part of Mistra's blouse until, finally, she was completely out.

Mistra held onto her and they got the baby onto a table. She and Dratha cleaned up the pouchling – she could no longer be called a pouchling; she was an infant – and swaddled her. Mistra picked her up to face everyone, who stood in a circle around them.

Vidam spoke first. "I am, I am the head of this household now," he said, "I am not your father. I am your half-br- your brother. You will receive everything from me," he said, following the normal pouch emergence ritual, more or less, but then stopped, "I am, that is not right, for I know you will receive many things from everyone else. So, I, I will promise to make sure you have a home."

"I am Dratha. I am the Prime Wife. I promise to guide you. My children are supposed to speak next, but I think your mother should speak now, for she has been so brave."

"I am Mistra. I am the secondary. I promise you an education. And I am your mother. From me – and I think from all of us – I promise care."

"There is no last caste wife here," Trinning said, "so who should speak?"

"I will," Seppa said, with her tiny voice. "I am Seppa and I will serve." She was copying what she had heard her mother say when Minna was born.

"But you are the child of a very brave one indeed," Vidam said to Seppa, "so you will serve, yes, but you will also grow together and learn together. I will insist upon it. That will be a rule in this house, for Father's rules no longer apply. All will have the home learning. All will know how to read and write."

"I am Trinning. I will one day run a house. And I think I will run it like this one is now being run. For it seems wrong to leave one out of the learning."

And they told the infant their names and made their promises, all down to little Minna, who said, "I am Minna. We will both be secondaries someday."

"And we will make sure that you go to the best and kindest males possible, and not just the highest bidders," Vidam said, "we are wealthy. We don't need to be bargaining over a few Stonds when it is for the health and safety and comfort and care of all of you sisters."

He looked Mistra in the eye and handed her the off-white baby blanket. She wrapped up the infant, and he asked, "What do you name this new child?"

And Mistra, who had been planning all along to name the infant Bayla, said, on an impulse, "Inta."

"A name for one who was very brave," Vidam said, "welcome to the world, Inta, and come and see all that is beautiful in it."

Mistra drew a semi-circle on the board to show all. "We will all learn. This term means _female_. And this term," she pointed at the _Y_ she had drawn earlier, "it means _male_. And I think maybe they are both important, in their own ways."

And baby Inta, who was still very small and could not quite focus her eyes too well yet, saw her family, and could not tell male from female, or young from old, or the first born from the last, or who had been the vessel for whom.

And she could not tell castes at all.

7


End file.
